Clinical value of ultrasound in diagnosis and classification of common
arterial trunk
Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to explore the clinical value of
prenatal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of the common arterial trunk
(CAT) classification and associated deformities. Materials and
methods: The two-dimensional ultrasound images spatiotemporal image
correlations (STICs) and clinical data of 108 foetuses diagnosed with
CAT malformations were retrospectively analysed, their CAT types were
classified, and the correlations between these different types and
foetal malformations and pregnancy outcomes were analysed.
Results: Among the 108 foetuses, there were 47 cases (43.5%)
of type A1, 51 cases (47.3%) of type A2, 9 cases (8.3%) of type A3 and
1 case of type A4 (0.9%), of which 22 cases (20.4%) were isolated CAT,
56 cases (51.8%) had complex intra-cardiac structural abnormalities, 30
cases (27.8%) had intra-cardiac or extra-cardiac structural
abnormalities, 17 cases had 1 other system abnormality, and 5 cases had
2 other system abnormalities. Four cases were combined with 3 other
system abnormalities, while 4 cases were combined with 4 other system
abnormalities, among which the facial and physical abnormalities had the
highest incidence (40.0%). The STIC images were completely displayed in
88 cases (81.5%). Isolated CAT and CAT combined with other
malformations were significantly correlated with foetal pregnancy
outcomes ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Prenatal
ultrasonography had a high clinical application value for classifying
CAT. Pregnancy outcomes were highly correlated with the classification
and combined intra-cardiac and extra-cardiac structural malformations.
The early assessment of foetal prognosis before birth has great value
for clinical intervention.